Term cops delaying sampling of seized contraband as 'accused': High court

CHANDIGARH: Finding Punjab "infested with the problem of drug addiction" and the "casual manner" of the investigation agencies in dealing such cases in the state, the Punjab and Haryana high court has held that the cops delaying in sampling of seized contraband should be termed as an "accused".

The HC has also made it clear that in future all the contrabands received by the chemical examiner in Punjab should be analyzed "within two months" of receipt.

At present, the investigating agencies in the state are taking more than six months in examining the contraband, which is against the provisions of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

While issuing the directions, Justice Paramjeet Singh recently asked the home department as well as the director general of police (DGP), Punjab, to take action against the person who commits delay in sending the sample% of contraband for chemical% examination.

"Officer delaying (sending samples for examination) should also be termed as accused in appropriate cases, if the authorities after investigation find that lapse is intentional and not bona fide," held the court.

HC also observed that the state is infested with the problem of drug addiction. Narcotic and psychotropic substances are being seized in large quantities. Even the statistics available indicate that a large proportion of the people in the state is affected by the problem of drug addiction and the investigation in such cases appeared to have been carried out by the investigating agencies in a casual manner.

The court also observed that there may be chances that the police officials in connivance with the accused may not be taking appropriate measures for completion of the investigation in time. The investigations are not being conducted in a fair and thorough manner because in none of the investigation, origin of the contraband has been found.